1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a pipe float adapted for attachment to a pipe or other enlongated members to provide buoyancy and maintain the portion of the pipe to which the float is attached at the surface of a body of water. The pipe float hereof is preferably configured with an internal surface having a plurality of planar faces to provide improved engagement with a typically cylindrical surface, and retention of the float on the pipe.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Pipe floats are articles which are attached to the outer surfaces of members to maintain buoyancy. Members with curved surfaces, for example elongated substantially cylindrical surfaces, present challenges in terms of successfully engaging and holding the surfaces over extended periods of use. Such elongated members having arcuate (typically cylindrical) surfaces will for convenience herein, be identified as “pipes”, which, except where indicated, are intended to include non-tubular members having arcuate surfaces. Such pipes are often flexible and have a variety of uses, such as barriers or as tubular conduits. For example, a pipe may be used to inhibit migration of oil along the surface of a body of water, or as a pipe for conveying liquids where it is desired that the pipe be positioned at the surface of a body of water for observation and/or to maintain the material conveyed in the pipe at the surface prior to discharge of the conveyed material on shore or to a vessel.
One typical use of pipe floats is in dredging operations where a dredge is used to remove sediment from a body of water and discharge it to another vessel such as a barge or to the shore for drying and removal. In such operations, water carries the sediment from the dredge to the shore or to the vessel through a pipe. The pipe may have neutral or somewhat negative buoyancy, and thus pipe floats are attached to the pipe at locations along its length to keep the pipe at or near the surface of the body of water. Heretofore, such pipe floats have been constructed with a rounded inner surface which, as would be expected, is sized and configured to be circular in vertical section and thus the same as the outer surface of the pipe.